9 Best Cheap Cell Phone Plans of 2026

Visible is Verizon's own online-only prepaid brand, and its base plan is one of the cleanest deals in US wireless. You pay $25 a month with taxes and fees included, and you get unlimited data, talk and text on Verizon's 5G and 4G LTE networks, unlimited hotspot use, and unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada. When we checked, the code HOLIDAYHACK brought the base plan down to $19 a month for one year. The plan's broadband label lists typical download speeds of 20 to 148 Mbps. The trade-offs are clear on the plans page: video on the base plan tops out at 480p SD, and you need Visible+ at $35 for premium data and Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network. Visible+ Pro at $45 adds international texting to 200+ countries. There are no stores, so setup and support happen in the app and online. Smartwatch service costs $10 a month extra, and Global Pass starts at $5 a day for travel.

Mint Mobile keeps prices low by selling service in blocks of 3, 6 or 12 months that you pay upfront. When we checked, new customers paid the equivalent of $15 a month on every plan, including Unlimited: $45 for 3 months, $90 for 6 months or $180 for 12 months. After the first term the regular prices apply, and Mint's broadband labels show those clearly, for example $25 a month for the 3-month 6 GB plan and $40 a month for 3-month Unlimited. The 12-month Unlimited plan listed $30 a month at regular price. Every plan includes unlimited talk and text, free calling to Mexico, Canada and the UK, and a free hotspot, with up to 20 GB on Unlimited. Mint runs on T-Mobile's 5G network. The catches: taxes and fees are extra, video streams in SD, and Unlimited users above 50 GB a month may see reduced speeds when the network is busy. If you hate large upfront payments, look at Visible or Boost instead.

US Mobile's main idea is network choice. Instead of tying you to one carrier's towers, it runs plans on several networks and offers a Network Transfer option and a Multi-Network add-on, so you can move if coverage disappoints. Unlimited Starter costs $25 a month with taxes and fees included, and comes with unlimited high-speed data and 20 GB of hotspot on its Dark Star network. Unlimited Premium is $44 a month and adds unlimited priority data, unlimited hotspot on Dark Star, 20 GB of roaming in 180+ countries and a free smartwatch plan on Warp. When we checked, a Black Friday deal for port-ins cut Starter to $15 and Premium to $25 for six months. Annual billing saves 43% and the site also lists By the Gig and Custom plans. The trade-off is complexity: features vary by network, and newcomers need a few minutes to understand the network names. There are no stores.

Tello is built for people who do not need much data. Its build-your-own page lets you pick no data, 2 GB, 10 GB, 20 GB or unlimited data, and no minutes, 300 minutes or unlimited talk, with unlimited text on every plan. The Starter plan with 2 GB and unlimited talk and text costs $10 a month, and when we checked the 10 GB Everyday plan was $10 a month for the first three months, then $15. Power with 20 GB costs $20, and Max Unlimited costs $25 with 50 GB at full 5G speed and 10 GB of hotspot. Hotspot is included on every plan, matching your data allowance, and Wi-Fi calling is free. Calling plans include free calls to 60+ countries, and Tello listed free roaming in Europe as a limited offer until January 31, 2027. You can upgrade, downgrade or cancel at any time with no penalties. The downside is that small plans suit light users only, and unlimited data slows after 50 GB.

Boost Mobile's pitch is a price that does not creep up. Its Unlimited plan costs $25 a month, and the FAQ says that with AutoPay, as long as you never pause or cancel, you will never pay more than $25 for it. When we checked, new customers paid $10 a month for the first six months. Every Boost plan includes unlimited talk, text and data; the base Unlimited plan includes 30 GB of premium data each month, Unlimited+ and Global Connection include 40 GB, and Unlimited Premium at $60 includes 50 GB, with speeds that may drop to 512kbps after that. Boost does not run a credit check or require an annual contract, and new customers get a 30-day money-back guarantee. The $25 price depends on a $5 AutoPay discount, and taxes and fees apply on top. Check that your phone is unlocked and compatible using Boost's IMEI checker before you switch.

Google Fi is not the cheapest unlimited option, but its Flexible plan is one of the few true pay-for-what-you-use plans from a major brand. You pay $20 a month for one line plus $10 per GB of data, which works well if you use under a gigabyte or two. The unlimited tiers cost $35, $50 and $65 a month for one line, with 30 GB, 50 GB and 100 GB of high-speed data. Unlimited Standard includes 25 GB of hotspot, and Premium includes 50 GB of hotspot and up to 50 GB of high-speed data abroad in 200+ destinations. Every plan includes advanced spam call blocking, VPN by Google, Google Account security and 24/7 support. When we checked, bringing a Pixel phone earned 50% off for 12 months. Taxes and government fees are extra, and for one person who wants unlimited data at home, Visible, Mint and Boost cost less.

Red Pocket packs more into its small plans than most budget carriers. Essentials costs $10 a month for unlimited talk and text and 3 GB of 5G premium data, Plus costs $20 for 20 GB, and Premium costs $30 for unlimited data with 50 GB of premium data and 10 GB of hotspot. When we checked, every plan was 50% off for the first month. Each plan also includes unlimited calling to 20+ countries, rising to 80+ on Premium, and Global Passport roaming in 60+ countries, with 100 minutes, 100 texts and 1 GB of data abroad per cycle on Essentials and Plus, or 10 GB on Premium. With its CoverageGenius tool you choose from three major 5G networks, and Red Pocket promises no price increases. Annual plans are also available. The roaming allowances are modest, and choosing a network adds a step that single-network carriers skip.

Cricket Wireless is AT&T's prepaid brand, and its biggest draws are the AT&T network and a large network of stores. Sensible 10GB costs $30 a month with Auto Pay and $35 for the first month, and gives 10 GB of high-speed data before speeds drop to 128 Kbps; it has no hotspot add-on. Select Unlimited costs $35 a month with Auto Pay for new lines, with a hotspot add-on available, and Smart Unlimited costs $45. Cricket's broadband labels show government taxes included in the monthly price, which keeps the bill predictable. You can test the network for 14 days for free with the TryCricket app, which runs alongside your current service. The downsides: Cricket may slow data when the network is busy, video is limited to SD, and in-store sign-up carries a $25 activation fee. For the same money, Visible and Boost include more on their unlimited plans.

Ting Mobile keeps its plan list short. Unlimited costs $25 a month per line for unlimited high-speed data, talk and text, nationwide LTE and 5G coverage and voicemail, and Ting Internet customers pay just $10 for it. Flex is the pay-as-you-go option: $10 a month per line plus $5 per GB of shared high-speed data, which suits households where nobody uses much mobile data. Data plans include a mobile hotspot and there are no overage charges. Ting bills after your first month of service rather than upfront, and you can choose a SIM card or eSIM with no contract. On the minus side, international calling is pay-per-use rather than included, your phone must be unlocked before you activate it, and Flex quickly becomes more expensive than a flat plan once you pass a few gigabytes. Outside Ting Internet areas, Visible and Boost include more for the same $25.